Watch with ornamental running indicator

ABSTRACT

A wrist watch is provided with a case in which a radial casing extension houses a pendulum visible concurrently with and adjacent the face of the watch with the pendulum being connected to an extension of the pallet arbor of the watch to be oscillated during operation of the watch so that the pendulum provides a moving indication that the watch is operating and also provides an ornamental effect.

United States Patent Ditello et al.

[ 51 May 30,1972

[54] WATCH WITH ORNANIENTAL RUNNING INDICATOR [72] Inventors: James S. Ditello, 44 Shore Drive; Thomas J. Ditello, 43 Rhode Island Ave., both of Pittsfield, Mass. 01201 [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 62,565

[52] US. CL... A ..58/57 [51] Int. Cl. ..G04b 45/00 [58] Field of Search ..58/58,59, 106,57, 129

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,444 7/1934 Farber ..58/58 X 3,461,665 8/1969 Cielaszyk ..'...58/l29X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 672,502 5/1952 Great Britain ..58/106 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerGeorge H. Miller, Jr. Attorney-Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence 57 ABSTRACT A wrist watch is provided with a case in which a radial casing extension houses a pendulum visible concurrently with and adjacent the face of the watch with the pendulum being connected to an extension of the pallet arbor of the watch to be oscillated during operation of the watch so that the pendulum provides a moving indication that the watch is operating and also provides an ornamental effect.

6 Clailm, 5 Drawing figures WATCH WITHORNAMENTAL RUNNING INDICATOR This invention is in the field of horology and is specifically directed to the field of watches. Even more specifically, the invention is directed to the field of wrist watches and is specifically directed to a wrist watch having visible oscillating means indicative that the watch is in operation and also providing an aesthetically attractive appearance to the watch.

Most watches currently manufactured are of great similarity insofar as the works of the watches are concerned. Such conventional watches normally employ an escapement wheel which is sequentially permitted to rotate a discrete distance by the oscillation of a pallet lever adjacent the escapement wheel in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Users of watches frequently have occasion to ascertain whether or not the watch is functioning properly. One manner in which operation of the watch can be ascertained is through the visual observation of the second hand mounted on the face of the watch. However, some watches have quite small second hands and, indeed, a number of watches do not provide any second hand whatsoever. In these circumstances, it is difficult or impossible to make a visual observation to ascertain if the watch is operating. Moreover, even those watches having large second hands require that the user observe the second hand for a substantial period of time amounting to several seconds in order to ascertain whether or not the watch is operating. Additionally, in order to ascertain movement of the smaller type second hand sometimes employed on watches, it is necessary for the user to be quite close to the watch in order to observe such movement. Therefore, observation of the watchsecond hand to ascertain if the watch is in operating condition is not a fully satisfactory manner for making the required determination.

Another manner in which operation of a watch can be ascertained is by listening to well-known ticking of the watch when held closely to the ear of the user. Unfortunately, this method of determining whether or not the watch is operating is not available to those users who suffer from hearing defects. Moreover, it is impossible to hear the ticking of a watch when the user is in locations having a high environmental noise level such as is frequently the case in industrial plants and the like. Therefore, accoustic determination 'of watch operation by listening to the watch does not always provide satisfactory results.

For these reasons, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved watch construction in which ascertainment of whether or not the watch is operating is easily effected.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a new and improved ornamental and aesthetically appealing running indicator for a wrist watch.

Obtainment of the objects of this invention is enabled through the provision of an oscillating pendulum mounted for observation in a radially extending case extending outwardly from the normal watch case. The pendulum is connected to an extension of the oscillating pallet arbor of the watch works so that operation of the works immediately results in oscillation of the pendulum. This oscillation is easily visible to the user of the watch and consequently provides an immediately indication, by a mere glance, of whether or not the watch is functioning. Moreover, the pendulum effect provided by the pendulum adjacent the watch face is also quite ornamental and is aesthetically attractive in addition to providing the highly desirable function of indicating that the watch is wound and running.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be better understood when the following written description is considered in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

F IG. 1 is a frontal face view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the preferred embodiment with the face and balance wheel removed for the purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the pendulum connection to the pallet arbor of the preferred embodiment.

Attention is initially invited to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment, generally designated 10, which includes many conventional features such as a retaining band connected to a watch case 22 housing the works of the watch best illustrated in FIG. 3. The case 22 has a back 23 Y which is provided with laterally extending decorative shields 24 and 26 extending from each side of the case. A conventional winding stem and knob assembly 28 also extends from the case. A watch face 30 positioned beneath a protective crystal 32 completes the conventional components normally visible to the wearer of the watch.

The inner workings of the watch are best illustrated in FIG. 3 and include a conventional escapement wheel 33 mounted for rotation in a conventional manner with the wheel being released for increments of rotation by a pallet lever 34 which supports pallets 36 on each end of the'arm for engagement with the teeth of the escapement wheel 33. Pallet lever 34 is fixed to a pallet arbor 38 which has first and second bearing pins 40 and 42 on each end to be respectively received for rotation in top plate 44 and an auxiliary angle plate 46 as best shown in FIG. 4.

Escapement wheel 33 is released for increments of movement by oscillating movement of the pallet arm 34 etc. caused by an impulse pin roller connected to the balance wheel in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. Movement of wheel 33 effects operation of the hands 48 positioned forwardly of the, watch face. The aforementioned construction is completely conventional and need not be discussed further. However, it should be noted that the lever 34 is fixed to the pallet arbor 38 and is oscillated between limits determined by a pair of flanking pins 50 between which the drive portions of the lever 34 is positioned.

An auxiliary radially extending pendulum enclosing case 54 extends outwardly from the case 22 on the side opposite winding knob 28 as best shown in FIG. 3. One end of a pendulum 52 is positioned on the interior of the auxiliary case 54. It is to be noted that the back of the case 23 is also provided with a radial extension 60 for providing a closure of the auxiliary case 54 on the backside thereof and that the front of the auxiliary case is closed by a transparent window or crystal member 56. Consequently, the visible end portion of pendulum 52 is protected on all sides but is visible to the wearer concurrently with the face 30 of the watch. Bearing pin 42 is provided with a linear axial extension so as to extend through and beyond the angle plate 46 in which it is mounted for rotation to enable the upper end 52' of pendulum 52 to be frictionally fitted over the bearing pin 42 in relatively tight engagement to be oscillated by bearing pin 42 upon oscillation of the pallet arbor 38 and pallet lever 34. Such oscillation of the pallet arbor 38 causes the end of pendulum 52 visible in the auxiliary case 54 to oscillate back and forth in the direction of arrow as shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, the wearer of the watch can be immediately informed as to whether or not the watch is wound and running by merely looking at the pendulum 52.

It will be obvious that numerous variations and modifications of the subject invention will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the shape of the pendulum etc. will necessarily be modified in various watch designs in which there are variations in the arrangement of the working components. However, the spirit and scope of the invention is to be limited solely by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a watch construction having a watch case having a watch face and spring driven works on the interior of said watch case including an escapement wheel, an oscillating pallet lever mounted on a pallet arbor for oscillating engagement with said escapement wheel foreffecting controlled movement of watch hands adjacent the face, the improvement comprising a pendulum mounted in said case having a visible portion in a position adjacent said watch face to be visible concurrently with said watch face and connected by connector means to said pallet arbor to be oscillated when said spring driven works are operating to provide a continuous visual indication of operation of the watch at all times when the works are operating while concurrently providing an ornamental effeet.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pendulum is mounted in a radially extending auxiliary case extending outwardly from said watch case with the visible portion of said pendulum being positioned in said auxiliary case.

3. The invention of claim 2 additionally including window means on said auxiliary case.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means connecting said pendulum to said works comprises an axial extension of a bearing pin extending from one end of said pallet arbor to which bearing pin one end of said pendulum is affixed whereby oscillating movement of said pallet arbor serves to oscillate said pendulum.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said pendulum is mounted in a radially extending auxiliary case extending out wardly from said watch case with the visible portion of said pendulum being positioned in said auxiliary case.

6. The invention of claim 5 additionally including window means on said auxiliary case. 

1. In a watch construction having a watch case having a watch face and spring driven works on the interior of said watch case including an escapement wheel, an oscillating pallet lever mounted on a pallet arbor for oscillating engagement with said escapement wheel for effecting controlled movement of watch hands adjacent the face, the improvement comprising a pendulum mounted in said case having a visible portion in a position adjacent said watch face to be visible concurrently with said watch face and connected by connector means to said pallet arbor to be oscillated when said spring driven works are operating to provide a continuous visual indication of operation of the watch at all times when the works are operating while concurrently providing an ornamental effect.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pendulum is mounted in a radially extending auxiliary case extending outwardly from said watch case with the visible portion of said pendulum being positioned in said auxiliary case.
 3. The invention of claim 2 additionally including window means on said auxiliary case.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means connecting said pendulum to said works comprises an axial extension of a bearing pin extending from one end of said pallet arbor to which bearing pin one end of said pendulum is affixed whereby oscillating movement of said pallet arbor serves to oscillate said pendulum.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said pendulum is mounted in a radially extending auxiliary case extending outwardly from said watch case with the visible portion of said pendulum being positioned in said auxiliary case.
 6. The invention of claim 5 additionally including window means on said auxiliary case. 